Calendar timepiece



July 5, 1966 L. w. HAMBLIN CALENDAR TIMEPIECE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. lc

Filed Jan. 14, 1965 FIG. In

M L B M A H W M M L ATTORNEYS.

July 5, 1966 w. HAMBLIN CALENDAR TIMEPIECE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 LUAIN W. HAMBLIN Filed Jan. 14, 1965 ATTORNEYS.

July 5, 1966 1.. w. HAMBLlN 3,258,907

CALENDAR TIMEPIEGE Filed Jan. 14, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. LUAIN W. HAMBLIN ATTORNEYS.

July 5, 1966 w. HAMBLIN CALENDAR TIMEPIECE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 14, 1965 FIG. 9

INVENTOR.

LUAlN W. HAMBLIN Kb ,JL

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent "ice 3,258,907 CALENDAR TIMEPIECE Luain W. Hamblin, Lancaster, Pa.,'assiguor to Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jan. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 425,484 8 Claims. (Cl. 58-58) The present invention relates to a calendar timepiece and more particularly to an improved shutter trip particularly suited for use in an electric calendar watch.

Many calendar timepiece systems exist in which the movement of the watch or like timepiece is provided with a date-bearing indicia means operated in timed relation to the hour wheel of the timepiece so as to indicate successive dates. In typical existing calendar watch systems, the dial side of the movement is provided with a calendar ring or disc that is rotatably mounted below the dial and bears 31 equally spaced numbers which are successively exposed through a window in the dial as the disc is advanced of a revolution each 24 hours by means interconnecting the calendar ring with the dial train of the watch.

In systems of this type the dial train is effectively disconnected from the calendar indicia ring or disc for about 21 hours, with the appropriate date number on the calendar ring being exposed through a window in the watch dial to indicate the date. In the remaining 3-hour period the dial train is drivingly engaged with the calendar ring, usually by a camming arrangement, so as to cause the calendar ring to advance V of a revolution. The dial ring is thus progressively moved in the remaining 3-hour period, which is usually around midnight, until the next date number is beneath the aforementioned dial window. That date number is exposed for the next 21 hours and is thereafter replaced by the next successive number when the calendar ring is again drivingly engaged with the dial train by the intermediate camming arrangement and thus displaced.

Existing calendar watch systems impose a quite high load on the source of power driving the dial train, and this load is more than existing electric watch systems can bear with a compact, long-lived battery power source. Also, due to the relatively high power requirements of such prior watch calendar systems, they are a problem with socalled automatic or self-winding spring-driven watches when not in the full wound state. Additional disadvantages exist, including the fact that the date ring can be turned in only one direction by manual operation of the usual crown and stem provided for setting the watch, whereby prolonged operation of the stem is necessary to turn the calendar dial to expose a lower date number through the dial window.

In assignees copending application Serial No. 227,160, filed October 1, 1962, there is disclosed an improved calendar timepiece overcoming many of the disadvantages of the earlier constructions. In the timepiece construction of the aforesaid copending application, a calendar date ring is continuously engaged with and driven by a dial train for a 24-hour period, rather than for a short period like 3 hours each date, thereby reducing the power per hour for operating the date ring to a fraction (e.g., /s) of that required for prior watch systems. In addition, the date number of that watch is entirely exposed through the watch dial window for .a complete 24-hour period, with a novel shutter arrangement providing an instantaneous date advance at or near midnight. Setting of the dial ring in either direction is permitted.

While the watch of that application has proved eminently satisfactory and has significantly reduced the power necessary to drive the calender mechanism, some wearers have objected to the fact that the calendar mechanism 3,258,907 Patented July 5, 1966 does not always operate exactly at the stroke of 12:00 midnight.

The present invention is directed to an improved calendar timepiece construction which retains all the advantages of the structure set forth in the .above-mentioned copending application and yet at the same time provides a date mechanism which changes over in a reliable manner at or very near midnight of each date. As in assignees previous construction, the date ring is continuously driven through the watch gearing and this continuous drive is employed in conjunction with a shutter mechanism which is tripped to change the displayed date in a simple, efiicient, effective, and reliable manner at or very close to midnight of each 24-hour day. As before, the date mechanism may be set in either direction through a simple manipulation of the setting stem and crown.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an improved calendar timepiece.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric calendar watch.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved electrical calendar watch shutter trip.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved calendar watch system incorporating a novel gear date ring and cooperating shutter arrangement which is of simple, compact, and trouble-free construction. In the present invention a calendar ring with internal teeth, of which every fourth one is higher and shorter than adjacent teeth, is continuously driven through a gear mechanism with ratios selected so that the calendar ring turns one revolution in 31 days. Also provided is a trip pinion which turns degrees in 24 hours, and this trip pinion is driven by the internal teeth of the calendar ring. Mounted on the trip pinion are a pair of trip pins which alternate in driving a shutter click through an index cycle.

As the calendar ring turns it engages with the shutter click, which is forced clockwise by the calendar ring and is held against a ring tooth by the tension of a shutter spring. As the calendar ring turns clockwise, a highstanding tooth comes in contact with the shutter click. The calendar ring continues to move the shutter click clockwise until the tooth is able to slip past the click. At this point a trip pin has moved into position and continues the clockwise movement of the click by a camming action on the under side of the click. As the calendar ring continues to move clockwise, it drives the trip pinion on which the trip pins are located also clockwise. The trip pin continues to move the click clockwise until the trip pin slips past the click. The click is then returned by the tension of the shutter spring until it strikes a protrusion on the dial train bridge, from which it is immediately picked up by the succeeding high-standing tooth on the calendar ring.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent upon reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1a shows the dial face of an electric watch incorporating the new, improved calendar system of the present invention as it would appear at 12:01 am. on the 12th day of the month;

FIGURE 1b is a partial showing of the watch dial face similar to that of FIGURE la, showing how it would appear at high noon on the 12th day of the month;

FIGURE 1c is a partial showing of the watch dial face similar to FIGURES la and 1b, showing how it would appear at 11:59 pm. on the 12th day of the month;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the internal dial side of the movement of a watch incorporating the calendar system of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a partial vertical section of a watch incorporating the calendar system of this invention;

.side of the bridge 30 as desired.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the dial side of an electric watch movement incorporating the calendar system of the present invention, the watch dial being removed, and operating portions of the watch calendar system being shown as they would appear at 12:01 am. on the 12th day of a month;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of part of the dial side of the watch similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the operating elements of the calendar system as they would appear at 12:00 noon;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 5 but showing the operating elements of the calendar system as they would appear at 11:59 pm. on the 12th day of the month;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged plan view of the shutter mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom plan view of the shutter of FIGURE 7, illustrating the camming surface for the trip pins; and

FIGURE 9 is a cross section through the shutter taken along line 99 of FIGURE 8.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally indicates a watch which may be any presently commercially available watch having a movement of .suitable design. For example, the movement may be that used in the Model 505 electric watch of the Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, disclosed in Hamilton Service Bulletin No. 220, but modified to incorporate the watch calendar system of this invention as hereinafter set forth.

The watch movement generally indicated by numeral 21 in FIGURE 4 includes a pillar plate 24 (FIGURE 3) which is provided on its dial side with an annular peripheral ring 25 having an internal shoulder 26 for seating the lower exterior portion of an annular geared calendar ring 28. It is noted that annular ring 25 and shoulder 26 of the pillar plate 24 need not extend for an entire 360 degrees around the periphery of the watch movement 21, and in fact are partially cut away, as at 29, for the purpose of receiving a small battery to power the watch 10. Also the pillar plate 24 may be cut away, recessed, and apertured to accommodate other working parts of the watch as desired, as, for example, the Hamilton 505 electric Watch shown in Hamilton Service Bulletin No. 220. Such details of construction not related to the present invention as such, are not described herein since they will be apparent in light of the present disclosure.

A dial train bridge 30 having a configuration, shown especially in FIGURE 4, is concentrically mounted on the dial side of the pillar plate 24 by means of bridge screws 31, with bridge steadying pins (not shown) on the under It will be noted that dial train bridge 30 has partial circular edge portions 32; these are adapted to be received within an annular shoulder 33 formed on the upper dial face side of the calendar ring 28. Thus the circular edge portions 32 of dial train bridge 30 and annular shoulder 26 on the periphery of pillar plate 24 provide a track for the geared calendar ring 28, whereby calendar ring 28 is rotatable about the axis of center wheel 34 of the watch 10. Calendar or date ring 28 is provided on its upper face 36 with 31 equally spaced numerals 38, numbered successively from 1 to 31, as shown in FIGURES 1-4. The lower internal annular portion 37 of calendar ring 28 is provided with 124 internal gear teeth 39. Every fourth one of these internal gear teeth is extended in Width to provide 31 equally spaced high teeth 40 which extend above the level of the teeth 39, as is especially apparent from FIGURES 37. Although the teeth 40 are higher than the teeth 39, they are at the same time shorter, being cut away, as indicated at 41. e

Center wheel 34 is the hour wheel and is rotatably mounted on the pillar plate 24 and a train side bridge forming part of movement 21, in a conventional manner. The hour Wheel gear 34 drives an intermediate gear wheel 42 which is rotatably mounted in hearings in pillar plate 24 and dial bridge 30, and the pinion 44 associated with gear wheel 42 drives a second intermediate gear wheel 46, which has an associated pinion 48 drivingly engaging the gear teeth 39 of date ring 28. Thus the date ring 28 is driven clockwise in the drawings by the hour wheel 34 through the reduction gears and pinions 42, 44, 46, and 48, and the gear ratios are such that the date ring 28 makes one revolution in 31 days while the hour wheel 34 makes 62 revolutions in 31 days. The hour wheel 34 is driven at the proper rate by a suitable Watch mechanism, such as that of the above-mentioned Hamilton 505 electric watch, in a readily apparent manner.

Referring especially to FIGURES 4-9, the calendar watch 28 of this invention also includes a shutter subassernbly, generally indicated at 50, which cooperates with the date ring 28 so that a certain date numeral 38 is entirely exposed for a 24-hour period, at the end of which the next successive date numeral is instantaneously exposed, as will now be explained.

Shutter assembly 50 comprises a main shutter plate 52 having non-rotatably secured thereto a pin or arbor member 54 which is pivotally mounted in an aperture in pillar plate 24. The main shutter plate 52 has a rectangular aperture or shutter Window 56 which overlies the numeral face 36 of the date ring 28 and is of such size as to expose a particular date numeral 38 disposed below the shutter Window 56, but not the adjacent date numerals (as shown particularly in FIGURE 4). Shutter subassembly 50 also has non-rotatably mounted thereon an arbor 57 on which there is pivotally mounted a pawl or click 58 having a configuration best seen in FIGURES 7-9.

A Wire tension spring 62, having a configuration best seen in dashed lines in FIGURE 4, is provided below the dial bridge 30, with one end 62 being suitably anchored in pillar plate 24 and the other end 63 being bent so that it is secured by tension in a recess 64 in click 58. Spring end 63 is positioned between click arbor 57 and a lug 59 which projects laterally from the main portion of click 58, as shown in the drawings, whereby tension spring 62 biases the click 58 clockwise in FIGURE 4 so that lug S9 normally engages edge of cut-out 53 in main shutter plate 52, thus limiting the clockwise movement of the click 58. As is apparent, the force of spring 62 also thereby applies to the main shutter plate 52 a counterclockwise movement about its pivotal mounting arbor 54 and this counterclockwise motion is limited by a projection 65 on dial bridge 30.

Dial 66 is mounted on the dial train bridge 30 in any suitable manner, as by a pair of dial feet (not shown) which are inserted in dial train bridge apertures 68 and 78. The dial 66 is provided with a date window 72 which is radially positioned to overlie the date ring 36 and is approximately twice as long as shutter window 56 and date numerals 38. It is noted that watch 10 is disclosed as having only an hour and a minute hand. However, it will be apparent that the watch 10 incorporating the calendar system of this invention can be provided with a second hand in the usual manner, as, for example, in the aforementioned Hamilton 505 electric watch.

An important feature of the present invention includcs the provision of a trip pinion carrying teeth 82 meshing with the teeth 39 of the calendar ring 28. Trip pinion 80 is rotatably mounted on an arbor 84 which is secured beneath the shutter plate 52 to the pillar plate 24 of the Watch. Mounted on the upper surface 86 of this pinion are a pair of trip pins 88 and 90 spaced degrees about the axis of rotation of pinion 80. In addition, the under side of the click 58 is provided with a curve passageway 92 defining a cam surface 94 adapted to engage one or the other of the pins 88 or 90.

In operation, as the hour wheel 34 is rotated clockwise in FIGURE 4 by the operating portion of the watch movement 21, the date ring 28 is caused to turn at the proper rate clockwise in the aforementioned track formed,

by the edges of the pillar plate 24 and dial bridge 30, due to the intermediate gear train 42, 44, 46, and 48 which drives the date ring gear teeth 39. Referring especially to FIGURE 4, which shows the date mechanism at 12:01 am. on the 12th of the month, the tip 58' of the click 58 engages the leading curved edge of the high tooth 40 of the calendar ring 28 so that the main shutter plate 52 is caused to pivot clockwise around the arbor 54 against the tension of spring 62 as the calendar ring 28 moves clockwise. The shutter window 56 is thereby caused to move along with the date ring 28 so that a certain date numeral is exposed through window 56 from just after 12:00 midnight until about 11:59 pm. on the same date. During approximately the first 12 hours of this 24-hour day the tooth tip 58 of click 58 progressively slides from the base to the crest of the engaged high tooth 40 until the click tooth 58 is in the position shown in FIGURE 5.

During this first 12-hour period when the click 58 is riding on tooth 40, pinion 80 through the engagement of its teeth 82 with the teeth 39 of the date ring rotates approximately 90 degrees from the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 to that illustrated in FIGURE 5. In this position the pin 88 passes through channel 92 and is brought into engagement with the cam surface 94 of the click. Thus when the click tooth or tip 58 clears the shorter but higher tooth 40, the click is no longer moved by the tooth 40 but rather is moved by the pin 88 engaging the cam surface 94.

During the second 12 hours of rotation of a 24-hour period, further movement of the click and shutter is by way of the pin 88 acting on the cam surface until such time as the shutter assembly 50 assumes the position illustrated in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 6 shows the shutter mechanism at approximately 11:59 pm. on the 12th, or almost 24 hours later than the position illustrated in FIGURE 4. During these 24 hours, the pinion 80 has rotated 180 degrees with the pin 88 moving along the cam surface 94 during the latter half of this rotation. The pin 88 is illustrated in FIGURE 6 as just clearing the tip 58' of the click. Thus during the second 12-hour period, as the calendar ring continues to move clockwise it drives the trip pinion 80 on which the trip pins 88 and 90 are mounted, also clockwise. The trip pin continues to move the click clockwise by means of the cam surface 94 until the trip pin 88 slips past the click tip 58 as it is about to do in FIG- by light spring tension to its starting position substanially instantaneously, thereby exposing the next succeeding date number at midnight.

The watch movement 21 is provided with a conventional crown and stem arrangement for rotating the hour Wheel 34 to set the hour and minute hands, for example, the corresponding mechanism of the aforementioned Hamilton Model 505 electric watch can be used, with the stem 74 preferably at the 4 oclock position, as shown in the drawings, so that the dial date window 72 may be at the 3 oclock position illustrated. The rotation of the stem 74 to set the hour and minute hands causes rotation of the date ring 28 through hour wheel 34, gear train 42, 44, 46, 48 and the date ring gear teeth 39 so that the desired date numeral can be exposed through shutter window 56 and dial window 72. It will be noted that since the click 58 of the shutter subassembly 50 is pivotally mounted with a biasing spring 62 to retain it in normal operating position, the date ring 28 may be moved counterclockwise as well as clockwise without jamming any of the usual stem-operated hour wheel setting mechanism, shutter assembly 50, or any other parts of watch movement 21. Thus date ring 28 may be set for the first day of the month when the preceding month was less than 31 days, through operation of the crown and stem, Also, in the event the watch has not been running (e.g., when on display) and it is necessary to set the date ring to a few days earlier than the date exposed through the shutter and dial windows, the date ring can be turned counterlcockwise to set it; without this feature it might be necessary to Wind the date ring clockwise with as many as 60 revolutions of the hour wheel 34, as is the case with typical calendar watch systems heretofore available.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel trip pinion carrying a pair of trip pins, rotatable through degrees in every 24 hours and engageable with a cam surface on the shutter click. By means of this structure a very accurate date change-over occurs very close to midnight of each day, and this unique arrangement further provides for an accurate setting of the calendar mechanism to the desired date. At the same time, the mechanism preserves the low-power continuous drive features of the watch construction making it particularly suited for use in conjunction with low-power sources.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the present invention provides an improved calendar Watch system and particularly an improved shutter trip mechanism useful in small, battery-powered electric watches, in which the calendar date ring is continuously in engagement with and driven by the dial train over a 24-hour period, thus reducing operating power per hour, with the pertinent date number being entirely exposed through the watch dial for the involved 24-hour period and with an instantaneous date advance at or very close to midnight. It is further apparent that the present invention avoids a series of shortcomings of prior calendar watch systems andachieves important advantages in construction, mode of operation, and result, as described above.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A calendar timepiece comprising a timepiece movement having an hour wheel, a calendar ring bearing a series of date indicia rotatably mounted on said movement, means for continuously rotating said calendar ring in proper timed relation to said hour wheel, said means including internal gear teeth on said calendar ring and a gear train having a proper reduction ratio interconnecting said calendar ring gear teeth and said hour wheel, uniformly spaced projections on said calendar ring, a shutter having a window overlying a portion of said calendar ring, means resiliently biasing said shutter toward a rest position, said shutter having a tip movable into and out of engagement with said projections on said calendar ring, and trip means engageable with said calendar ring teeth and coupling said calendar ring to said shutter whereby said shutter moves with said calendar ring against said bias means under first the influence of said projections and second the influence of said trip means.

2. A timepiece according to claim 1 wherein said calendar ring is provided with 124 teeth, and every fourth tooth defining said projections is higher and shorter than the rest.

3. A calendar timepiece comprising a timepiece movement having an hour wheel, a calendar ring bearing a series of date indicia rotatably mounted on said movement, means for continuously rotating said calendar ring in proper timed relation to said hour wheel, said means including internal gear teeth on said calendar ring and a gear train having a proper reduction ratio interconnecting said calendar ring gear teeth and said hour wheel, uniformly spaced ones of said calendar ring teeth being higher and shorter than the remaining teeth, a shutter pivoted to said timepiece movement and having awindow overlying a date indicia on said calendar ring, a click pivotally mounted on said shutter, said click having a stop means engaging said shutter to limit the movement of said click in a first direction with respect to said shutter, resilient means biasing said click stop into engagement with said shutter, said resilient means acting to bias said shutter into a rest position whereby the tip of said click is engageable by said higher and shorter teeth of said calendar ring, movement of said calendar ring acting to pivot said shutter against said resilient means into an intermediate position whereby said click tip clears said higher and shorter teeth, a trip pinion rotatably mounted on said timepiece movement, said pinion having teeth meshing with said calendar ring teeth whereby said calendar ring drives said pinion, a cam surface on said click, and a pin mounted on said trip pinion, whereby rotation of said pinion causes said pin to engage said cam surface and advance said shutter with said calendar ring after said click tip has cleared said higher and shorter teeth.

4, A timepiece according to claim 3 wherein said pinion is provided with two trip pins spaced 180 about the axis of rotation of said trip pinion.

5. A timepiece according to claim 4 wherein said trip pinion rotates 180 every 24 hours, one of said pins clearing said click cam surface at the end of each 24-hour period whereby said shutter snaps backs to said rest position under the influence of said resilient biasing means.

6. A calendar timepiece comprising a timepiece movement having an hour wheel, a calendar ring bearing a series of date indicia rotatably mounted on said movement, means for continuously rotating said calendar ring in proper timed relation to said hour wheel, said means including 124 internal gear teeth on said calendar ring and a gear train having a proper reduction ratio interconnecting said calendar ring gear teeth and said hour wheel, every fourth one of said calendar ring teeth being higher and shorter than the remaining teeth, a shutter pivoted to said timepiece movement and having a window overlying a date indicia on said calender ring, a click pivotally mounted on said shutter, said click having stop means engaging said shutter to limit the movement of said click in a first direction with respect to said shutter, a spring having one end secured to said timepiece movement and its other end urging said click stop into engagement with said shutter, said spring acting to bias said shutter into a rest position whereby the tip of said click is engageable by said higher and shorter teeth of said calendar ring, movement of said calendar ring acting to pivot said shutter against said spring into an intermediate position whereby said click tip clears said higher and shorter teeth, a trip pinion rotatably mounted on said timepiece movement, said pinion having teeth meshing with said calendar ring teeth and a pair of pins on said pinion spaced 180 about the axis of rotation of said pinion, said pinion rotating 180 each 24 hours, one of said pins engaging said cam surface after said click tip has cleared said higher and shorter tooth for approximately of rotation of said pinion, whereby one of said higher and shorter teeth drives said shutter for the first 12 hours of a 24-hour period, and one of said pins drives said shutter for the second 12 hours of a 24-hour period, said shutter being free to snap back to said rest position at the end of each 24-hour period under the influence of said spring.

7. A timepiece according to claim 6 including crown setting means for manually driving said calendar ring.

8. A timepiece according to claim 6 wherein said shutter is located at approximately three oclock on said timepiece movement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 436,051 9/1890 Cooke 58-125 2,051,611 8/1936 Liner 58-125 2,650,467 9/1953 Favre 58-58 LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CALENDAR TIMEPIECE COMPRISING A TIMEPIECE MOVEMENT HAVING AN HOUR WHEEL, A CALENDAR RING BEARING A SERIES OF DATE INDICIA ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID MOVEMENT, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING SAID CALENDAR RING IN PROPER TIMED RELATION TO SAID HOUR WHEEL, SAID MEANS INCLUDING INTERNAL GEAR TEETH ON SAID CALENDAR RING AND A GEAR TRAIN HAVING A PROPER REDUCTION RATIO INTERCONNECTING SAID CALENDAR RING GEAR TEETH AND SAID HOUR WHEEL, UNIFORMLY SPACED PROJECTIONS ON SAID CALENDAR RING, A SHUTTER HAVING A WINDOW OVERLYING A PORTION OF SAID CALENDAR 